Honda Dealer Charged $130 Each Time For Cabin Air Filter That Can Be Removed In Seconds | Carscoops

      A Honda HR-V owner's service bills have ignited discussions about dealer upselling and unnecessary maintenance services.

      23 hours ago

      by Stephen Rivers

      A Honda HR-V owner claims their dealer charged $130 for a cabin air filter replacement. This allegedly occurred during nearly every oil change service visit. Genuine filters typically cost between $11 and $25 and can be replaced in a matter of minutes.

      It's well-known that dealerships profit significantly more from their service departments compared to vehicle sales. The profit margins are generally much better, and the volume of business is consistent. However, some service centers overstep, taking advantage of customer trust in ways that are difficult to defend.

      In a recent Reddit post on r/Honda, a 2023 Honda HR-V owner outlined a recurring issue that began once the vehicle surpassed 30,000 miles. Their invoices indicate that the dealer replaced the cabin air filter approximately every 10,000 miles, each time adding around $130 to the service bill. By the time the vehicle reached 51,809 miles, the filter had already been replaced four times.

      It's noteworthy that many air filter brands recommend replacements at around 12,000 miles, or even every 5,000 miles under dusty conditions. Honda dealer websites provide varying guidance, but 15,000 miles is a common recommendation based on how dirty the filter becomes.

      A Honda maintenance manual even suggests replacing the filter every 24 months. Nevertheless, Reddit users highlighted the real concern: the price.

      A $10 Part With a $120 Markup

      Current listings on eBay show genuine Honda replacement filters (Part #80291-TF3-E01) for as low as $11.77, shipping included. Equivalent aftermarket filters can be found on Amazon for under $10. An upgraded option, Honda's 4-layer premium version with an active carbon layer (Part #08R79-PS8-100B), is available for around $45, shipping included.

      These filters are not only inexpensive; they are also widely applicable across the Honda and Acura models. The same part fits vehicles ranging from the 2023 to 2026 Accord, the 2016 to 2026 Civic, to the CR-V, Odyssey, and the forthcoming 2026 Prelude. Additionally, Acura's RDX, Integra, and MDX models utilize the same filter configuration. Therefore, this is not an obscure or hard-to-find component.

      How Difficult Can It Be?

      Some may contend that the $130 charge primarily covers labor. After all, there have been cases where poor engineering choices necessitated disassembling several components just to reach the filter. However, that's not the case with the HR-V, which requires little more than lowering the glove box for access. Videos demonstrate how simple the process is for both the HR-V and CR-V.

      For context, our Editor-in-Chief recently faced a similar upsell when his local Honda dealer quoted $189 for replacing both the cabin and engine air filters. Instead, he spent around $30 online for the same parts and had his 9-year-old daughter, with a bit of supervision, complete the installation. If a child can manage it, most adults likely can as well. This is a win for DIY enthusiasts and a setback for predatory dealer pricing.